It’s quite annoying that there is so much music nowadays as I’ve somehow managed to miss her earlier work. Which is a shame for me because she is a really good songwriter and a great singer. It’s rare nowadays to hear someone actually inhabiting a song rather than just singing it, but this is one of those times. There are a lot of songs about dying here which my shrink would probably tell me to steer well clear of but the way my mind works it’s impossible not to be drawn into the likes of ‘Break Me Down’ which seems to be a song about a body decaying in the grave. I certainly hope so or I need more help than I thought.

There’s also a version of the medieval chant ‘Dies Irae’ and it’s definitely the best version of a thirteenth century hymn I’ve heard this year! The instrumental tracks don’t detract from the record, but let you gather your thoughts for the next round. It’s a gem of a record, rooted in folk but standing on its own, and one that deserves to be widely heard. So get it sorted. Now.